One of the main channels that the UFC uses to sign new fighters to the roster has undergone some changes.
The MMA leader has signed some big free agents in recent years with Patchy Mix being the latest ex-Bellator fighter to sign with the promotion.
However, the majority of names that obtain a UFC contract do it by competing on Dana White’s Contender Series where they have an opportunity to prove themselves by fighting in front of some key figures.
Another avenue was opened up in 2023 with the launch of Road to UFC which has seen prospects like Rei Tsuruya, who lost his undefeated record at UFC 311, join the ranks.
The fourth season is currently underway and this time around, the UFC has doubled down on the idea of incentivizing finishes.
Road to UFC implements point system which will impact the value of the winners’ contracts
The first four episodes of season four of Road to UFC are taking place on May 22 and 23 at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai.
During the first episode, a graphic was shown on screen to detail a new points system that will be implemented for this series.
Along with fighters being eligible to win performance of the night bonuses, another incentive has been added for competitors that produce finishes.
The contestants will accumulate points during their time in the tournament which will then impact the value of the UFC contract that they receive if they’re able to go all the way.
This is just another example of the promotion pushing the idea that they don’t just want winners, they want exciting fighters who can produce highlights.
One fan compared the new system to the often critiqued format that was implemented by the PFL in previous years for their regular season, which was abandoned for 2025.
“So they’re using a PFL-esque point system to determine the contracts? It’s a tournament”
Have the Road to UFC winners gone on to make their mark on the roster?
Road to UFC has delivered some fun fights even if the show is yet to produce a standout name thus far.
Excluding the finals of their particular tournaments, here is how each of the Road to UFC winners has fared since joining the UFC’s roster.
| Road to UFC Season | Name | UFC record (Excluding finals) |
| 1 | Anshul Jubli | 0-2 |
| 1 | Lee Jeong-yeong | 1-2 |
| 1 | Rinya Nakamura | 2-1 |
| 1 | Park Hyun-sung | 2-0 |
| 2 | Lee Chang-ho | 1-0 |
| 2 | Rei Tsuruya | 1-1 |
| 2 | Yi Zha | 0-1 |
| 2 | Rong Zhu | 1-1 |
| 3 | You Su-young | 1-0 |
| 3 | Choi Dong-hun | 0-0 |
| 3 | Shi Ming | 1-0 |
This isn’t a major red flag in regards to the level of talent that is being brought in even if it isn’t exceptional either.
As we have seen with Dana White’s Contender Series over time, the biggest tell will be seeing how many of these fighters are able to stick around in the promotion for a significant amount of time.